I don't understand the confusion. The Versa hatchback has adult room for the driver and front and rear passengers, not muppet leg room like the Fit and other highly touted vehicles. Headroom and visibility are also outstanding. Recent year models can be had with bluetooth and radio controls on the steering wheel, unlike again, the Fit which is a minimalist car that Honda forces you to buy expensive and an unnecessary navigation package before you can have bluetooth. Shoppers have figured it out, which is why you see so many of them on the road.

Technically, I sort of have 3(4) Versas. My daughter bought the 2007 from me and it has about 102,000 on it. Only issue we had with that one is due (I'm certain of this) to ethanol in the gas leading to more water (as a combustion by-product) in the exhaust, which cause a flange right in front of the muffler to rust out from the inside in 2009. Then we had a 2010 for about 90 days before a car stopped for deer in front of my wife, she stopped for that car, but the F-150 coming up behind her did not. Totaled the Versa, but the car did it's job and crumpled around the wife and she didn't have a scratch. The car was hit hard enough and bent to the point where the front seats were no longer in line with each other. So I'll give it good crash safety, at least in the type of crash we had. And we currently have a 2011 (wife's replacement) and 2012 in the driveway. About 60,000 on the '11 (as Steve said, basketball travel) and almost 16,000 on the 2012.

As long as they keep making them in 6-speed manuals, I'm good to go! Oh yea, my only nit pick, and my kids agree with me on this... it either needs to be a 7-speed or just move each gear up slightly. First gear is good for about 10 feet before you need to go to 2nd, and it just feels like a 7th gear would work on the highway. But this is a minor nitpick for us.

Interior room is really good. We've moved my daughter into college with one car having all her stuff and the two of us in. I think the most stuff I've ever put in was moving string orchestra instruments to a concert. I had two full-size double basses, three full-size cellos, and assorted violins and violas tucked in corners, along with a front seat passenger and all doors and hatches closed with nothing sticking out of any windows.

Guess I'm Versa-tile :shades:

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Have you sat in the back of the Fit? It's surprising. I'm a big 6 footer, and after I adjust the driver's seat for myself, not only can I sit in the rear seat behind the driver but I can do so COMFORTABLY.

If the car was *ahem* fitted out the way I wanted I'd consider it. But no auto climate control, MPGs aren't as good as the Mazda3, and it doesn't handle quite as well. Maybe the next redesign.

I agree...given how tiny it is overall, the Fit's not bad inside. Too small for my tastes, but with the front seat adjusted all the way back for me (6'3"), I was still able to fit in back. However, the side curvature made me lean inward, and overall it had a claustrophobic feel about it.

As for the Versa, one reason it might be selling well is that the recent restyle made it look like a much more expensive car than it is, IMO. However, I think it's just the sedan that was restyled and not the hatchback.

I remember sitting in a hatchback Versa, and being impressed at the back seat. I'd say that if you need 4-passenger seating, the Versa's a better pick than the Fit. But if you value cargo space, the Fit seemed better suited in that regard.

I have sat in and crawled around every inch of the Fit. It is not as comfortable as the Versa by any stretch of the imagination. Foot positioning for the rear passengers is poor and the knee room is not as good as either the Versa Hatchback nor Elantra Touring. I have not driven a Fit but have driven the Versa and found it very smooth and cushioning on the road. Moreover, used Versas are much more competatively priced than Fits by a wide margin. While reaching the oil filter is more of a pain in the Versa and the rear seats don't collapse for a flat floor, and while it bothers me that it is assembled in Mexico and not rated as high in reliability as the Fit, I feel like I am getting much more for my money with the Versa hatchback. Honda simply needs to stop minimilizing its cars and forcing customers to pay a lot more for common options. If they haven't figured it out yet, they aren't the only ones with an H on the front of the grille any longer.

The Elantra Touring is a limo compared to anything smaller than a midsize. I know, I own one. Looking to get out of it, want one?

The Fit and Versa have great legroom for compact cars. Not subcompact, COMPACT. The Focus's backseat is tiny, the Mazda3 isn't a lot better. The Elantra GT's backseat is smaller than the Touring but still decent sized. The trophy goes to the current Impreza but the Fit is close behind.

The Versa hatch is still the old design. The sedan is redesigned. So you really need to specify.

comes out next year, but of course by then they will be building the North American ones in Mexico....

Of course Versa will only be in year two, as will Sonic and Accent/Rio, and Fiesta will only be in year 3, so Honda might hold an edge for a while. IF they take the redesign seriously and stop making the customer pay extra for basic stuff (if it can even be had at any price).

However, taking redesigns seriously is not something they seem to remember how to do, judging by the last few years.

Interestingly, Fit is not seen as just a B-segment competitor in Brazil. It's called a "monovolume" there, in other words a very small minivan. They position it to compete with the Meriva, not the Corsa/Celta.

Honda Jazz, (Fit to you guys), is certainly a Meriva competitor here in Europe and certainly far roomier than any Corsa..............assuming Corsas are the same both sides of the pond, of course.

My wife's '06 Jazz continues to just get on with life. No drama, no surprises and is the car of choice vs my S60 if we are a party of 5x adults. Rear leg-room is tons better and the higher, more upright seating makes 5-up a breeze compared to the leather-clad Swede. Of course, it's the good old 1334cc 3-pot with 75bhp so sure isn't a fireball but it does do what it says on the tin and that buys a lot of forgiveness. A 2.0 Vtec would be a blast but I suspect we'll see a Bugatti TDi before that appears.

for them to offer a manual in the iQ, would make it my choice. I think I will be waiting a long long time though (read: never).

Almost bought a 500, but hated the fact that the only way that car is acceptable to drive is if you press the "Sport" button every time you drive it - you can't program it to default to Sport. It truly is a stylish little bugger. I bet the Abarth is a hoot, but then you are spending enough money where a Cooper S begins to be in reach, and I would go with the Mini.

I only drove a Sport, but it didn't feel particularly tinny. I imagine all the really little cars feel a bit unsubstantial if you are used to bigger cars, but the super low weight also makes them a lot more fun to drive. :-)

As for me, I am all about lightweight transpo - my Yaris weighs 2300 pounds. If they stuffed a 1.8 turbo under the hood with 180 hp or so, and held the weight to 2500 pounds or less, I would be there no matter if the price went into the $20Ks. The thing already drives like a roller skate, it carves corners almost as well as an '02 Celica I had once upon a time....all it lacks is the power to really have fun. :-)

I would have two, a lo-po version to get me 40 mpg in my commute like the one I have now, and one more with the turbo for fun on weekends! ;-)

s for me, I am all about lightweight transpo - my Yaris weighs 2300 pounds. If they stuffed a 1.8 turbo under the hood with 180 hp or so, and held the weight to 2500 pounds or less, I would be there no matter if the price went into the $20Ks. The thing already drives like a roller skate, it carves corners almost as well as an '02 Celica I had once upon a time....all it lacks is the power to really have fun.

I would have two, a lo-po version to get me 40 mpg in my commute like the one I have now, and one more with the turbo for fun on weekends!

Can you say Fiesta ST? 197HP with the 1.6L EcoBoost and I suspect mid-30's on the highway. Haven't seen any official pricing yet, but I would think somewhere in the low 20's to start.